ADVANCES IN PANCREATIC SURGERY

Significant advances have been made in the management of the three maj or diseases that affect the pancreas. Resection for pancreatic cancer is now accomplished with very low mortality rates, and the ability to diagnose resectable tumors has improved considerably. This advance has eliminated many unnecessary explorations in patients with unresectabl e disease. The principles for the management of severe acute pancreati tis are becoming well defined, and the mortality rates for acute necro tizing pancreatitis are lower than ever before, Several new operations have been developed for chronic pancreatitis that combine the princip les of resection and drainage in a way that preserves pancreatic funct ion as much as possible.